Unwinding and counting apparatus



Sept. 9s 1947G R. a WERTH 2,421,079

UNWINDING AND COUNTING APPARATUS Fileril Oct. 28, 1944- i Sheets-Sham l Sept.. 99 1947. R. @,[WERTH UNWINDING AND COUNTING APPARATUS Filed 0G13. 28, 1944 4 Sheets-8h69@ 2 y /VEU/e WEI@ wmf TUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Sept, 9, i947. R G. WRTH UNWINDING ND COUNTING APPR Filed ,0613. 28

Sept@ 95 l947 R. G. wam-H 4272079A UNWINDING AND COUNTING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 28, 1944 4 Shams-Sheet 4 vPatented Sept. 9, 1947 2,427,079 UNWINDING. AND ooUN'rlNG APPARATUS Rudolph G. werth, oak Park, nl., assignor to Western Electric Company, York, N. Y., a corporation Incorporated, New of New York Application October 28, 1944, Serial No. 560,781 10 claims.. (ci. 242-1) This invention relates to unwinding and counting apparatus and more particularly to apparatus f/or unwinding a toroidal coil to determine the number of turns of strand of the coil.

In the usual apparatus for winding toroidal coils, there is a variable relationship between the number of rotations of the shuttle and the number of turns of strand wound on the coils of various sizes, and therefore it is difcult or impracticable to attach to the winding machine a counting mechanism for indicating the number of turns of strand wound on the core of a finished coil.

An object of this invention is to provide an effective and eicient apparatus :for determining the number of turns of strand in a toroidal coil.

In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, there is provided an apparatus for unwinding the strand of a toroidal coil from the core and counting the number of turns thereon in which a coil is supported in interlinked relation with a rotatable shuttle. 'I'he shuttle comprises a rotatable unwinding ring for unwinding one turn of strand from the coil for each rotation of the ring and a spool ring upon'which the unwound portion of the strand is accumulated. Means are provided for retarding the rotation of the spool ring relative to the unwinding ring to take up the strand as it is unwound from the coil and a counter is connected to the shuttle to indicate the number of rotations required to unwind the strand.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the following drawings showing a preferred embodiment of the invention, in which l Fig. 1 is a side view of the machine with parts broken away and parts shown in section;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1. A

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary plan section taken on the line 3,-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary plan view of the portion of the machine indicated by the line 4 4 on Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the shuttle and associated parts, showing the coil in section therein;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged view in perspective of a portion of the shuttle; and

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary sectional View showing the hook attached to the spool ring for receiving one end of the strand.

Before being used, the toroidal coils are individually enclosed in a housing and encased in rubber or otherwise processed. It is essential that the coils meet the standards specified including that of the number of turns of wire thereon. It is impossible with the standard toroidal coil wind-r ing machine to count the number of turns since the shuttle does not make the same number of revolutions as the number of turns of wire applied. It is necessary, therefore, to select one or more toroidal coils from each batch ofcoils of different sizes for testing and unwind the test coils to determine the number of turns thereon before further processing the remainder of the coils. The present apparatus is designed to accomplish the unwinding and counting of the turns of the wire on the coil.

Referring to the drawings, especially Figs. 1 and 5, a toroidal coil l0 comprising a core il and a strand I?, wound thereon is shown interlinked with a shuttle l5, and is held in place by a coil support or clamp i6. The toroidal coil lil may have a double winding thereon with each winding occupying one half of the coil and separated from the other by spacers as illustrated in Fig. 3.

The support or clamp i6 comprises a xed jaw I l, upon which a movable jaw I 8 is pivotally mounted, as at i9. A thumb screw 20 engages a threaded aperture in the jaw I8 and abuts against the jaw il for moving the jaw I8 about the pivot i9 to securely hold the coil il) in place as shown in Fig. 1. The jaw il has a depending leg 23 adjustably clamped to the vertical portion of an L-shaped supporting member 24 by a thumb screw 25. A stud 26 projects from the horizontal portion of the supporting member 24 and is secured to the inner race of a ball bearing 2l. the outer race of which is secured to an adjustable supporting plate 28. The plate 28, movable toward and away from the shuttle, rests on a base 30 of the apparatus and is held in adjusted position between guidevrails 3l by a thumb screw 32, the shank of which passes through a slot in the plate 28 and engages a threaded aperture in the base. With this construction, a toroidal coil within a certain size range may be firmly clamped in coaxial alignment with the axis of rotation of the support I6 so as to freely oscillate about this axis and may be adjusted horizontally to and from the shuttle and vertically relative thereto so as to align the coil properly relative to the shuttle i5.

A pair of spaced frame members or plates 35 and 36 are secured to the base 30 and are spaced apart by and secured to spacing rods 31-31 and Sil-38l and form a frame for supporting the shuttle i and other mechanism later to be described. 'I'he frame member 36 is made in two sections and comprises a fixed section or plate 40 and a movable section or plate 4| attached thereto by a hinge 42. The section 4| is adapted to swing about the hinge 42 to an open position to render the shuttle accessible and is locked in the closed position against shoulders on rods 38 by thumb nuts 44 engaging reduced threaded ends 45 of the rods 38 projecting through apertures in the section 4|.

The shuttle I5 is rotatably mounted and is supported on its inner periphery by a pair of rollers 46 and 41 and a gear 48 and on its outer periphery by adjustable rollers 50, 5| and 52. The rollers 50 and 5I are carried by equalizing plates 54, which are pivoted at one end of the lever 55. The lever 55 is pivoted at 58 to the frame member 40 and is adjustably secured thereto by a locking screw 51, the shank of which passes through a slot in the frame 40. The roller 52 is carried by one end of a lever 58. which is pivoted at 59 to the frame 40 land locked in adjusted position by a locking screw 60. The rollers 46 and 41 (Fig. 2) are rotatably mounted on posts 62 and 63 carried by the frame plate 35 and are provided with enlarged portions forming shoulders 64 and 65 for engaging one side of the shuttle for preventing lateral displacement thereof in one direction. Rollers 61 and 68, in axial alignment with the rollers 46 and 41 mounted on the movable frame member 4| are provided with fiat radial surfaces and 1| for engaging the other side of the shuttle |5 to prevent lateral displacement thereof in the other direction.

The shuttle I5 (Fig. 6) comprises an unwinding member or ring` and a spool ring or take up member 16. The unwinding ring 15 is L- shaped in cross-section, the axially extending portion of which forms an internal ring gear 11 and provides a seat 18 for the spool ring 16. 'I'he ring gear 11 meshes with the gear 48 and engages the rollers 48 and 41. The radially extending wall portion 19 of the unwinding ring is increased in thickness to form an annular rail 80, which engages the surfaces 10 and 1I of the rollers 61 and 88. At its outer edge, the unwinding ring 15 is provided with a flange 82. which overlies a portion of the spool ring 18 and which forms'an annular bearing surface for engagement with the supporting rollers 50, 5| and 52. 'I'he unwinding ring 15 is provided with a strand guide or eyelet 83 in the form of an aperture passing radially through the rail member 80 and a groove 84 formed in the flange 82 and the wall 19. The spool ring 18, comprising a cylindrical base 88 and spaced flanges 81 and 88, is rotatably mounted on the seat 10 of the unwinding ring 15 and abuts against the wall 19 thereof. The spool ring 16 is frictionally driven by and normally rotates with the unwinding ring 15. The rings 15 and 16 are slitted transversely at 90 and 9| (Fig. 4) to form a joint in each ring so that when the Joints are aligned side by side, they may be separated and a portion of the shuttle deflected laterally to permit the interlinking of the coil |0 therewith.

The coil gear 40, which meshes with the ring gear 11 of the shuttle, is secured to a shaft 92 journalled in a bearing 93. which is carried by the frame member 35. The shaft 92 has secured to it another gear 94, which meshes with a Sear 95 fastened to a drive shaft 96. The drive shaft 98 is journalled in bearings 91 and 98 of the 4 frame members 35 and 36 and is provided with a square end portion 91 to receive a crank 99 thereon. The crank 98 is provided with a handle 99. which may be engaged by the operator to rotate the shuttle. The ratio of the drive is such that one complete turn of the crank will impart one complete revolution to the unwinding ring 15.

A rotation counter |00 is connected to one end of the drive shaft 96 and is supported on a bracket IOI fixed to the frame 35. The counter |00 will register the number of rotations of the drive shaft 98 and of the unwinding ring 15.

The spool ring 16, in order to take up the unwound strand, has to move relative to the unwinding ring 15, and, to accomplish this, there is provided means for retarding its movement relative to the unwinding ring during a portion of each cycle of rotation of the unwinding ring 15. A brake shoe |03 (Fig. 2) is secured to a flexible arm |04 attached to a lever |05. The lever |05 is pivoted at |06 to a bracket |01 having arms HI8-|08 secured to the frame member 35. The brake shoe |03 is adapted to be moved into engagement with the flange 81 of the spool ring and press it against a backing member ||0 secured to the bracket |01 and grip the flange 81 to effect a braking or retarding action of the spool ring 16. I'he free end of the lever |05 is connected to one end of a link III, the other end of which is connected to allever ||2. The lever I |2 is pivoted at I I3 to the frame 35 and has its free end engaging a cam ||4 mounted on the drive shaft 96. The cam ||4 will actuate the lever I2 to apply the brake during approximately 100 of rotation of the shuttle. A spring I|5 (Fig. 2) is connected at one end to the frame member 35 and at the other end to the link to effect the release of the brake.

A disc I1 is mounted within the shuttle I5. as shown in Figs. 5 and 2. and is carried by posts I8 fixed to the frame 35. The disc ||1 overlies and is positioned adjacent the drive gear 48 and is cut away to provide clearance for the rollers 48 and 41 and for the toroidal coils I0. The face of the disc is in alignment with the end face of the rollers 46 and 41 and forms a wall for guiding the strand I2. as it is unwound by the strand guide 83 during the rotation of the shuttle I5. The surfaces 10 and 1| of the rollers 81 and 68 are spaced from the end faces of the rollers 46 and 41 to provide a space through which the strand I2 passes as it is being unwound (see Fig. 2). Flexible strand engaging members |20 and I2| mounted on the frame member 4| engage the disc ||1 for the purpose of retarding and guiding the strand I2 during the unwinding operation. Guide members |22 and |23 (Figs. 3 and 5) are provided for guiding the strand into the space between the rollers 41 and 68.

After the strand |I has been unwound from the core and wound upon the spool ring 18 of the shuttle, it subsequently has to'be unwound therefrom and for this purpose a shuttle unwinding mechanism is provided. The shuttle unwinding mechanism comprises a tapering drum |25 (Fig. 2) fixed to a shaft |26 rotatably mounted in bearings |21 and |28 carried by the frame member 35 and an auxiliary frame member |30. Also secured to the shaft |26 is a gear |3| meshing with a drive gear |32 secured to a shaft |33 rotatably mounted in the frame members 35 and 36. The shaft |33 is provided with a squared end |34, which may receive the crank 98 for turning the shaft |33 and rotating the drum |25. The drum |25 is provided with a removable disc In the operation of the apparatus the thumb nuts Il are loosened and the frame member 4| is moved slightly away from the shuttle. The shuttle I5, after the Joints in the winding ring II and the spool ring 16 have been aligned, is opened and deected laterally and a toroidal coil Il is interllnked therewith. .The shuttle is closed and the frame member Il is moved to its closed position andvlocked in place by means of the thumb nuts Il. The coil l is clamped in the support I6 sothat its axis is aligned with the axis of the ball lbearing 21 and the support I6 is adjusted to properly align the coil I0 with the shuttle, as shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 5. The toroidal coil I0 is adjusted vertically with respect to the shuttle l5 so that it occupies a horizontal position at the level of the axis of the shuttle and is horizontally adjusted so that the unwindis eccentric thereto and is positioned close to that haii' of the ooil being unwound (see Fig. 3). Several turns of the strand are unwound manually ing ring passing through the opening of the coil ing the thumb nut IIB and the disc |35. The toroidal coil I0 may be released from the clamping Jaws I6 and turned 180 and reclamped in position with the clamp I8 engaging the corey and the second half of the coil may be unwound in the same manner as the first half was unwound. When the unwinding operation is completed, the frame Il may be moved slightly away from the shuttle, the clamp I6 may be released, the shuttle i may be opened and the core I removed.

What is claimed is:

1. In an apparatus for determining the number of turns of strand wound on a core, means strand foreach revolution of said member and from the coil., and the end thereof is threaded f through the strand guide r83 and passed through the groove 84 Vand looped over a hook |40 xed to the spool ring 16 (Fig. 7). The operator may then turn the crank 98 and rotate the shuttle I5 to unwind the strand froml the coil, which operation is continued until t'he strand 2 is completely unwound from the core of the coil and the number of rotations of the shuttle registered on the indicator |00 is'noted. The strand I2', as it is being l unwound from the core exerts a pull on the coil which moves the coil I0 and the coil support l about their common axis so that that portion of the coil I0 being unwound is close to the unwinding ring and the loop being unwound is in the plane of the unwinding ring. The strand guide 83, as it passes through the coil l0, will unwind one loop therefrom and carry it down through the guide members |22 and |23 and between the rollers 41 and 68 around to the posi.- tion shown in full lines in Fig. 5, at which time the slack has been taken up and the strand I2 is taut. The application of the brake |03 begins at this point in the cycle and continues until the strand guide 83 has moved the strand |2 to the dotted line position shown in Fig. 5 or for approximately 100, during which time the spool ring is retarded in its movement and the unwinding ring advances relative thereto. This movement of the unwinding ring 15 relative to the spool ring 16 winds or guides a portion of the strand l2 onto the spool ring, the amount being substantially the same as, the length of the loop of strand unwound from the coil I0. In eiect the spool ring 'I8 while it is being retarded moves backward relative to the unwinding ring 15 and pulls the strand I2 through the eyelet 83 and over the guide groove 84 onto itself. After the brake is released, the spool ring and the winding ring of the shuttle i5 rotate together `and carry the strand between guide members |20 and |2I, which help toposition the strand as shown at in Fig. 5 to facilitate its passage through the coil I0.

Upon completion of the unwinding operation, and recording the reading of the rotation indicator |00, the strand may be unwound from the spool ring 'II and wound upon the drum |25, after which it may be removed therefrom by removtakeup means concentric with said member and movable in the same direction but at a slower speed than said member to take up said unwound strand.

3. In an apparatus for determining the number of turns of strand Wound on a core, means encircling said core for unwinding one turn oi strand for each revolution of said means, a takeup means also encircling said core concentric with and movable in the same direction as said 1mwinding means to take up said unwound strand, and means i'or rotating said unwinding means at one speed and the takeup means at a slower speed.

4. In an apparatus for determining the number oi turns of strand wound on a core, a shuttle encircling said core, said shuttle having an unwinding member for unwinding one turn of strand for each revolution of said member and takeup means carried by and normally rotatable with said unwinding member, means for driving said shuttle, and means for periodically effecting a relative movement between said unwinding member and said takeup member during the rotation of said shuttle to take up said unwound strand.

v5. In an apparatus for determining the number of turns of strand wound on a core, a shuttle encircling said core, said shuttle having an unwinding member for unwinding one turn of strand for each revolution of said unwinding member and a takeup member frictionally driven by and rotatable with said unwinding member, means for driving said shuttle, and means for periodically retarding the movement of said takeup means during the rotation of said shuttle to take up said unwound strand.

6. In an apparatus for determining the nurnber of turns of strand wound on a core, a shuttle encircling said core, said shuttle having an unwinding member for unwinding one turn of strand for each revolution of said unwinding member and a takeup member frictionally driven by and rotatable with said unwinding member, means for driving said shuttle, and means for retarding the movement of said takeup member during a part of each revolution of said unwinding member to take up said unwound strand.

7. In anapparatus for determining the number of turns of strand wound on a core. means i'or supporting a core, a rotatable unwinding member encircling said core for unwinding one turn of strand for each revolution of said unwinding member, a takeup member concentric with said unwinding member also encircling said core and movable in the same direction as said unwinding member, and means for driving said unwinding ring for unwinding the strand and for driving said takeup ring a relatively fewer number of rotations than said unwinding ring to take up said unwound strand.

8. In an apparatus for determining the number of turns of strand wound on a rcore of a coil, means for supporting a coil, a rotatable shuttle encircling said coil and having an unwinding ring for unwinding one turn of strand for each rotation of said unwinding ring and a takeup ring rotatable with said unwinding ring for taking up the unwound strand, driving means for rotating said shuttle, and means for effecting relative movement between said takeup ring and said unwinding ring during the rotation of said shuttle to take up said unwound strand.

9. In an apparatus for determining the number o! turns of strand wound on a core oi.' a toroidal coil, means for supporting a coil to freely oscillate about its axis, a rotatable shuttle eccentrically interlinked with said coil, said shuttle having an unwinding ring for unwinding one turn of strand from the coil for each revolution of the unwinding ring and a takeup ring carried by and rotatable with said unwinding ring, driving means for rotating said shuttle, and means for retarding said takeup ring during a portion of each rotation of said unwinding ring to take up the unwound strand.

10. In an apparatus for determining the number of turns oi strand wound on a toroidal core, means encircling the core for unwinding one turn of strand for each revolution of said means, a takeup means for said unwound strand also encircling said core, means for supporting said core to freely oscillate about its axis, and means for adjusting said supporting means to position said core eccentrically to the portion oi the shuttle passing therethrough.

RUDOLPH G. WERTH.

REFERENCES crran FOREIGNb PATENTS Country Date Germany May 3, 1937 Number 

